Henniker, New Hampshire — Yesterday was a windy day in New Hampshire. Heavy wind gusts made it difficult to operate chairlifts. While some did operate, one of the chairlifts that did suffered some significant operational issues.
WMUR reports that a rope evacuation occurred on the Peak Triple chairlift at Pats Peak yesterday. According to the ski area, a rope detached from lift Tower 8, resulting in it automatically stopping. Today, the New Hampshire State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Passenger Tramway Safety Board confirmed that the cause was from heavy wind gusts.
Ski patrollers and members of Henniker’s Fire Department brought roughly 125 passengers down to the ground via rope evacuation. The entire rescue operation took around ninety minutes. The good news is that Pats responded quickly and were able to get guests off as quick as possible, which drew praise from guests.
The Peak Triple chairlift opened at Pats Peak during the 2017-2018 season. It was originally situated at Ascutney Mountain Resort, but was sold to Pats Peak following the closure of the ski resort. It was refurbished before being installed at Pats Peak, as it now features a loading conveyor at its base terminal.
Image/Video Credits: WMUR, Pats Peak
